Roll up, roll up, read all about it…… Weddings of Today!
Check out Abi’s latest article written for The Village Emporium distributed in the Essex area.
Abi Neill, Wedding Industry Expert and Bridal Retail Professional gives an insight into a few of the latest wedding stats….. So far, we’ve enjoyed 13 eventful years in the wedding industry and my goodness things have changed quite rapidly in the world of bridal retail! Mod con technology, consumer expectations and social media are all on the up! It’s a wonder that we’re not all dizzy trying to keep up to date! Despite modern trends its heartening to see that many wedding traditions still exist and that couples of today still want to say ‘I do’ and celebrate marriage with loved ones.
So what does an ‘average wedding’ look like now? At what age are couples deciding to tie the knot? And is marriage still as important as it has been? Fortunately for us at Abigail’s Collection & The Groom’s Room the answer is a resounding ‘Yes’. Weddings Today and The National Wedding Show has surveyed 6,600 brides and grooms (including same sex couples) and here are a few 2019 highlight stats I thought I’d share.
According to the survey the average UK couple has a joint income of between £25k and £50k and 68% of couples don’t have children before their wedding.
The average age of couples in 2019 is 31 for brides and 33 for grooms, and couples are spending between seven and twelve months planning their wedding.
These days 43% of couples are paying for their own wedding whilst 56% are relying on a combination of their parents or both sets of parents to help them foot the bill which is on average £15,000.
Over 40% of couples surveyed got engaged whilst on holiday and the majority, which was 43%, had been together between four and seven years before getting married.
How do couples of today meet? Well - 18% of couples met at work, 17% in a pub or club and 15% met on a dating site with Tinder being the most popular.
When it comes to pre-wedding prep plans, the belief that it’s bad luck to see each other on the morning of the wedding is still prevalent, as 92% of newlyweds surveyed still choose to spend the night before apart. Absence obviously makes the heart grow fonder as 67% consummate their marriage on the night of the wedding which means that 13% must have a bad headache from all that planning!
Finally, jokes aside, romance certainly isn’t dead with 52% of grooms observing the tradition of asking the bride’s parents permission ahead of proposing.
So there you have it - couples are most definitely still saying ‘I do’! I can vouch for the fact that it is often one of the most exciting (and stressful) times in a couple’s life. If you know a couple knee deep in wedding plans, spare a thought for them because alongside the pressures of everyday life, work and family it can often feel like a busy, expensive and emotional roller coaster for them.
At Abigail's Collection we are an award winning wedding dress / bridal wear shop based in Colchester, Essex. Visit us and book an appointment for beautiful wedding dresses and bridal wear for Brides, and Bridesmaids.